J.R. Ward should be somewhere on this list of erotic/vampire/suspense. I really have enjoyed her Brotherhood series. (Haven't read the newest one that came out in March yet, as I wait for them to come out in paperback.)

I love JR Ward, but they are completely ridiculous books. Only read if you can embrace the absurd and not realize how dopey the books are until you are done reading. If you can do this, they are the crack of vampire romance.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

Romance is a little bit more varied than that. Think mandatory happy ending with a love story at the center. They have changed a lot since the 80's.

Vantine nailed it. There are so many types of books that fall under romance: the only thing they really have in common is a happy ending. I like happily ever after. I always hated those stupid books where the dog dies at the end.

Linanil, have you read Jim Butcher's Dresden Files series?

I haven't tried to read a romance book since the 80s, which old be why :)

I think there was a tv show Dresden files? My husband liked it.

I don't even mind unhappy endings. I like a good story, some sulty tidbits would be good too.

_________________You are all a disgrace to vegans. Go f*ck yourselves, especially linanil.

There was a tv show, but the books are fantabulous. They are pretty straight urban fantasy. No sultry tidbits, and not much romance. Great, fun books.

If you haven't read a romance since the 80s, just pick something up. There really is no relation to the modern books. Try a Nora Roberts. I love her JD Robb series; those are futuristic romantic suspense/mystery/thriller. Nora Roberts isn't necessarily the best out there, but she certainly is the biggest seller. Maybe Homeport or The Reef.

I enjoy Deborah Cooke's dragon romance novels.

_________________"This is the creepiest post ever if you don't know who Molly is." -Fee"a vegan death match sounds like something where we all end up hugging." -LisaPunk

Ok, here comes the voice of dissent: I actually liked 50 shades. I like the writing style, which is super personal, and I like the story, which is a romance with a bit of a twist. Yes, it's not the best story out there, and yes, there are for sure other books that are a better romance or a better BDSM or a better thriller. But as a quick read, I liked them a lot.

I tried some other erotica literature recommended from Goodreads and the likes, and wow, they sucked. Really, really sucked.

_________________I dunno, I guess I just get enthused over eating big ol' squishy balls. - Interrobang?!

I think that Gilbert Gottfried video is the closest I'll get to reading it. I read a few excerpts and I'm really not into the writing and the story line in general (from what I've heard anyway) but maybe you should try reading a few pages and see if it's something you'd like.

Please do not read read these books. I have had a little mini-rant over in the "what are you currently reading" thread but I will say it again. These books are badly written, the relationship between Christian & Ana is emotionally abusive, he is manipulative, the sex is so forking boring (for real, I can only read the same description of mostly vanilla sex so many times) and the characters are so two dimensional and unrealistic. What 21 year has not only never been attracted to one man and never masturbated in her life then suddenly becomes addicted to this "perfect," unbelievably rich, "kinky," 27 year old man's dick?

Just don't waste your time or money!

ETA that about 50% of this book involves the words "oh my", "holy crepe", "double crepe", "triple crepe" or some version of "I collapsed around him."

Please do not read read these books. I have had a little mini-rant over in the "what are you currently reading" thread but I will say it again. These books are badly written, the relationship between Christian & Ana is emotionally abusive, he is manipulative, the sex is so forking boring (for real, I can only read the same description of mostly vanilla sex so many times) and the characters are so two dimensional and unrealistic. What 21 year has not only never been attracted to one man and never masturbated in her life then suddenly becomes addicted to this "perfect," unbelievably rich, "kinky," 27 year old man's dick?

Just don't waste your time or money!

ETA that about 50% of this book involves the words "oh my", "holy crepe", "double crepe", "triple crepe" or some version of "I collapsed around him."

Haha yeah I love that she didn't have email but .... I think she mentions later that she did? The inner goddess/sub-concious thing really bothered me, as did Christian being a jerk and Ana convincing herself that it was all her fault always.

Were you not glad that Christian removed the "burden" of her virginity from her?

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!

My sister told me this book is unreadable. She doesn't read fiction, mostly self help and I guess she wanted to see what the buzz was about and she said it's shiitake. I don't find her particularly discriminating about her reading material, either.

I was in the bookstore recently and looking in the Js (specifically for Shirley Jackson) this PD James shelving unit of Shades of Gray, Overtures of Gray, Hues of Gray, Shades of Ambigris, Shades of Gray II: Electric Boogaloo and so on overtook all the Shirley books which and I had to bend over to the very bottom shelf to get my hands on the miniscule selection of Shirley's books wedged in there. I THINK THEIR POSITIONS HERE SHOULD BE REVERSED, THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOOKSTORE.

I think her name in fanfic land was Snowqueens Icedragon. Does that make you happier?

_________________A whole lot of access and privilege goes into being sanctimonious pricks J-DubDessert is currently a big bowl of sanctimonious, passive aggressive vegan enduced boak. FezzaYou people are way less funny than Pandacookie. Sucks to be you.-interrobang?!